


devil on the horizon

by eurythmica



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Angst, Bittersweet Ending, Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Character Death, Gen, Introspection, One Shot, expansion on a rather silent part of the movie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-11
Updated: 2015-11-11
Packaged: 2018-05-01 01:44:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5187437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eurythmica/pseuds/eurythmica
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the moments after Maul strikes him down, all Qui-Gon can do is listen to the sound of his apprentice fighting a battle Qui-Gon knows he will lose, and think quietly of how no one will ever know what has happened to the two of them, no one will know of the coming Sith.</p>
            </blockquote>





	devil on the horizon

He hears it before he feels it; the unmistakable hum of a saber blade swinging forward and the sharp shriek of warning from the Force that accompanies it. He hears the sick sound of the blade’s impact, almost obscenely brief after the grueling battle.

But then he _does_ feel it. A stab of blazing heat through his core, so intense it’s almost cold. The pain is overwhelming; knocking the breath out of him. There is no grunt through gritted teeth, no muttered curse, no shout of pain. The Sith doesn’t even look at Qui-Gon as he jerks the blade back out with an unaffected efficiency. That half of his mission completed, the Dathormirian barely pays any attention to the fallen Master as he fixes those nightmarish yellow eyes on Qui-Gon’s apprentice, stalking towards Obi-Wan with menacingly casual strides.

There is darkness rapidly seeping into the corners of Qui-Gon’s vision and he can hear his hearing being steadily overtaken by the sluggish pounding of his own heart, but the Jedi Master clearly makes out Obi-Wan’s pained howl - _“NOOO!”_ \- cutting through the air. It’s muffled only slightly by the glowing panes of red energy and Qui-Gon doesn’t get the chance to meet his apprentice’s eyes - to reassure him, to say goodbye, Qui-Gon doesn’t know - before his legs fold beneath him and he slumps forward.

Before he hits the ground, Qui-Gon comes to two distinct realizations. First, that he knew that ray shield was the only thing keeping this Sith lord from his apprentice. Second, Qui-Gon knew that the moment that shield fell, his apprentice would fight and his apprentice would die. Obi-Wan was a brilliant student, a brilliant Jedi, but he was still _so young_. The thought of it tightened Qui-Gon’s chest painfully, but he knew it would be hoping beyond hope to expect Obi-Wan to emerge victorious in this situation. He would lay here, life slowly draining out to join the Living Force, and it would not be so peaceful and fulfilling as he had always imagined. He would lie here, useless, as he listened to the sound of his padawan being cut down beside him. And no one would know. The other Jedi, the Council, they would never know that after generations, the Sith had returned to the galaxy - if they had ever left at all - and they clearly had some design in action.

Indistinctly, as if from the bottom of a lake, Qui-Gon can hear the soft _tap, tap, tap_ of the Dathomirian’s feet as it paces predatorily in front of the rayshield. _Prowling_ , Qui-Gon’s mind helpfully supplies, _would be a much better way to describe it._ Weakly, Qui-Gon can sense Obi-Wan’s distress through the Force as it solidifies, crystalizing into righteous fury. The sound of a lightsaber igniting, followed immediately by two more, catches his attention. With that, the shield drops and Qui-Gon feels his heart drop with it.

Qui-Gon can’t see much of anything, save the blank expanse of the ceiling. Moving his head had proven too much to handle, but he can hear, warped and far off, the sounds of fighting, the clashing of lightsabers and the occasional grunts of pain as one of the two combatants lands a kick or a blow. But most obvious and terrifying thing to Qui-Gon is the eerie, fatal silence. Obi-Wan had always liked to taunt his opponents, loved to flash his wit and watch them grow frustrated and sloppy with irritation. But there was none of that. Nothing but silence and deadly purpose.

Dimly, Qui-Gon wonders if Obi-Wan is intentionally keeping the Sith away from him. The room in which they are fighting isn’t terribly large, and yet, the sounds and flashes of light he can catch from the battle are always distanced. The good apprentice, protecting his master to the bitter last.

For a while, it sounds as if Obi-Wan is holding his own. Vision and sound come and go in waves. Breathing it so difficult; it’s exhausting. There’s a numbness creeping up through Qui-Gon’s extremities, leaving coldness in its wake. The hole in his chest has gone completely numb and Qui-Gon cannot decide if he should be thankful for this or not.

And then, a malevolent surge in the Force followed by a sharp intake of breath. One Qui-Gon recognizes recognizes from sparring matches and missions gone awry and exasperated conversations about philosophy. Qui-Gon hears Obi-Wan knocked off his feet and the terrifying silence afterward of someone falling. But there is no sudden severance of their bond. Obi-Wan is still alive, then. He must have caught himself on something on the way down. The metallic clatter of what Qui-Gon can only presume is his apprentice’s lightsaber being tossed down the reactor shaft instantly cuts off any sense of relief. After a beat of silence, there is a new sound. Qui-Gon recognizes it, lightsaber on metal. He can practically envision the great burst of sparks that accompany it. Broad sweeps judging by humming of the blade. He recognizes the sound, but Qui-Gon’s brain can’t quite puzzle out what’s going on; why he’s hearing it. Weakly, the Jedi Master picks up a bright flash of terror from his apprentice and suddenly everything snaps into the place. _The Sith is_ playing _with Obi-Wan_ , Qui-Gon thinks numbly. _It’s playing with him before it kills him._

There was no getting out of this. No daring rescue was coming. He was dying and his apprentice was trapped with no way out.

 _This is the end_ , Qui-Gon realizes despairingly, _and I have failed_.

His order, who would be unprepared and ignorant of the return of their ancient enemy.

The young Chosen One, who would be taught aimlessly, by a random Master who did not understand. Perhaps even thrown into a war, with the return of the Sith inevitable.

 _Obi-Wan_.

He had failed them all. Perhaps even the galaxy itself in the process.

No one would ever know what they had seen. No one would ever know what was coming.

Qui-Gon almost takes it to be a hallucination when the sound of a force jump and the swift slash of a lightsaber reaches his ears. It’s easy to imagine it is. Everything sounds a thousand miles away, blurred and indistinct. There’s a thudding that grows gradually more distant. A body falling down the chute. Qui-Gon still doesn’t know who received that strike.

But then, there are warm, shaking hands on the back of his head. They gently prop him up on legs that are trembling just as badly. Qui-Gon recognizes the budding hope in Obi-Wan’s expression, can practically see the words “you’re going to be okay, Master” filling up in his wet eyes. Oh, Obi-Wan. The boy liked to put on a good show to the contrary, but always so optimistic.

“It’s too late.” Every word is grueling. Qui-Gon cannot remember ever being so tired. All he wants is to rest in the Force, but he _can_ not yet. He _must_ not.

“ _No!_ ” There is the shine of tears in Obi-Wan’s eyes. Qui-Gon wished he had more time.

“Obi-Wan, promise. Promise me you will train the boy.”

As if sensing that this is what Qui-Gon needs to hear, Obi-Wan nods wetly. “Yes, master.”

Reaching up to gently touch Obi-Wan’s face is a fight. His hand is so heavy. So, so heavy. It feels alien, as if it is merely a club of wood attached to the end of his arm. But he manages and the meaning Qui-Gon hopes the gesture holds makes it more than worth the struggle. He wants to tell Obi-Wan that he knows he’ll succeed. That Obi-Wan is the only other person he would ever trust to train Anakin. Wants to tell him he is proud of him. That he will be a wonderful teacher and a gifted Jedi. But he has so little time left, so few words.

Qui-Gon settles on letting Obi-Wan know the path Qui-Gon has given to him will not be one in vain. “He is the chosen one. He will bring balance. Train him.” Another fervent nod. Qui-Gon’s eyes slip closed.

There is the gentle touch of Obi-Wan’s forehead against his own.

And then there is the Force.

**Author's Note:**

> I was inspired by a tumblr post by user bedlamsbard and wanted to expand upon Qui-Gon's final moments and what all must have been running through his head.


End file.
